Covering the WestSide as it is today and Challenging everyone to become involve as we move into the future.

Friday, October 09, 2009

Black fiction spans entire Diaspora

When a person decides to take pen to paper to write a book, it is a major undertaking. Writing and getting my first book, Billion Dollar Winner, both finished and published was no easy task. Even writing this column is not a simple feat. Fifty-two times a year, I have to write something that people will read and either agree or disagree with me.

I became an avid reader as a young child. I can still remember checking out the maximum number of books from the library and trudging home with them. I read books that took me to places that I had never been to and allowed my imagination to run wild.

I can still remember being in high school and asking a white teacher about finding a black author other than James Baldwin to read, and he told me they didn't exist. I don't think he said it out of malice, but more because he was as ignorant of the subject as I. Thankfully, as I got older, I learned there were other authors, and I still covet books that are written about the black experience.

In the course of writing my own book, I have come across a number of published and aspiring. If you are still one of the people who erroneously believe that black people don't like to read, well the Chicago Read-In held Saturday would have dispelled that notion. There wasn't an empty seat in the auditorium; seeing so many people of all ages come out to enjoy the entire program was fantastic.

I want to share with you two books that I have read this past summer that you might enjoy. The first is The Awakening of Khufu by Les Lester, published by Kanefer Books. The premise of the book is fascinating. Professor James Hannibal III is a research scientist who works with DNA. While many of his peers spent their college years being black activists, he focused on becoming a geneticist.

Years later, he is being feted for his accomplishments in the field of DNA sequencing and memory prints. His accomplishments not only bring him accolades in the scientific community, but attract the attention of the government of Egypt, which approaches him with the most fascinating of all offers. They will provide him with a fully staffed laboratory and a single cell from Pharaoh Khufu, the builder of the Great Pyramid at Giza, in order to bring him back to life in the 21st century.

I found the book fascinating for a variety of reasons. First, I enjoy reading any book where the characters are black, but not stuck in the baby-mama-drama or in-between-the-sheets melodrama. I want to read about black people doing anything other than drugs, gang-banging or any of the other negative stereotypical behavior that has become far too often the basis of black literature.

This book also has a Chicago connection. The main character lives here. It is strangely very satisfying to be able to read books about streets and neighborhoods that I am familiar with and to picture them in my mind as I read.

It makes me want to go to Chicago State University and see if Professor Hannibal is really there, making scientific discoveries. It was also interesting to imagine what today's world would look like to an Egyptian pharaoh brought back to life, seeing all of our modern technology. The pyramids represented the best that society had to offer, so to imagine the main character flying in a plane or talking on a cellphone is mind-boggling.

The second book I enjoyed this summer is of a completely different genre - Whose Man Is This by Pastor Kathy A.E. Jones (no relation) and published by KAJ DJ Publishing. The book is a source of inspiration and includes guidelines to help women find the man of their dreams using biblical scriptures and principals.

As a single woman, I am looking to meet the man God wants me to spend the rest of my life with. Pastor Jones' book gives excellent advice as well as references to scripture to embrace as I continue on that journey.

Finally, my book, Billion Dollar Winner, tells the story of a Chicagoan, West Sider and community activist who was the biggest protestor against the lottery games. The grand prize of a new lottery game, Lotto-50, grows to $1 billion. My main character comes to possess the winning ticket. All of Chicago gets upset when they find out it was she who won, but especially West Siders.

I will be doing another book signing on Saturday, Oct. 10 at Woodson Library, 95th and Halsted from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. I am planning several events on the West Side and will keep you informed via this column. If you want to reach me to get a copy of my book, or have me out to your group event, you reach me at 773-622-3863.

LISTEN TO LIVE EVERY SUNDAY WRLL 1450 AM - 10pm UNTIL 12am

Also visit ONIXLINK.COM to see my postings under the Writer's Block section.

Arlene Jones

EMAIL ME: WESTSIDE2DAY@YAHOO.COM

Arlene Jones' Biography

I was born in Chicago. I grew up in Cabrini Green. I attended Wells Sr High, the University of Illinois at Chicago Circle where I majored in Spanish and minored in Education. I have a diploma in Computer Programming.

I moved to Austin when I purchased a home here. I have two children.

I have been active in the community since moving here. I started with my blockclub. In the early 1990s, I worked with several people to try and form the North Austin Homeowners Association. I even went on patrol with a group of people who had a walkie talkie car patrol of the neighborhood.

As with most programs in the AA community, many factors led to the demise of those groups. Lack of support from elected officials was at the top of the list.

There were several people who had a group and we met out of DaVinci Manor. DaVinci Manor was at the corner of North Ave and Central where Walgreen now stands. Again there was very little interest in saving that building and our community lost a beautiful hall.

I have protested the state of the Central Ave bridge. I worked with Leola Spann and did many a smoke out including one in the 1500 block of North Lorel where drug paraphenalia layed on the ground. I have over the years here in Austin worked with the following groups at one point or another:
Northeast Austin Organization (Mary Volpe, Tom Hosea);
Northwest Austin Council;
Mad Dads;
Brotherhood of Black Men;
Westside Health Authority;
Nobel Neighbors;
Every Block A Village;
Beat 2532;
25th District Housing Committee;
WVON Volunteer;
African American Employees at the Merchandise Mart (AAEMM);
Lafollette Park Advisory Council;
Garfield Park Conservatory Advisory Council;
Westside Executive Advisory Council;
Austin Landmark Cultural Center;
Concerned Citizens of East Garfield Park

and so many others that it gets hard to remember.

Arlene Jones

QUOTE OF THE DAY

If you're not careful, the newspapers will have you hating the people who are being oppressed, and loving the people who are doing the oppressing. -- Malcolm X